Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC) Practice Exam

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What type of database arranges data in rows and columns?

Hierarchical
Columnar
NoSQL
Relational

The correct answer is: Relational

The choice of a relational database is fitting because these databases are specifically designed to arrange data in tables that consist of rows and columns. This organization allows for a structured approach to data management, where each table represents a different entity and the relationships between these tables can be clearly defined through foreign keys. Relational databases use SQL (Structured Query Language) for querying and maintaining the data, enabling complex queries that can retrieve data from multiple related tables in a straightforward manner. This format is particularly effective for ensuring data integrity and consistency within large datasets, allowing for efficient data manipulation and retrieval. In contrast to relational databases, hierarchical databases organize data in a tree-like structure which is not conducive to a tabular format. Columnar databases store data differently, optimizing for read-heavy operations but still not fitting the classic rows and columns structure of relational databases. NoSQL databases provide a more flexible but less structured approach to data storage, which may include but does not exclusively focus on row and column arrangement. Therefore, the relational database stands out as the correct and most appropriate choice for the specific arrangement of data in rows and columns.